Democrats join forces to tlke digs at Bush....Charlotte

Democrats join forces to take digs at Bush
Candidates woo S.C. NAACP members with anti-GOP stance
JIM MORRILL AND SCOTT DODD
Staff Writers

Travel glitches and scheduling snafus cut the number of Democratic presidential candidates in half at a forum before the S.C. NAACP convention in Charlotte Friday. But the three who came offered a blistering critique of Bush administration policies on the economy, civil liberties and Iraq.

Plane troubles delayed the arrival from Arizona of Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, U.S. Rep. Dick Gephardt of Missouri and former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois. All missed the forum, but spoke to delegates at a reception later.

That left U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, retired Gen. Wesley Clark of Arkansas and the Rev. Al Sharpton of New York with the stage to themselves for 90 minutes. From the start, it was clear that the tone would be markedly different from Thursday night's debate in Phoenix, when several candidates attacked Clark over what they see as his conflicting statements about the war in Iraq.

"Trying to attack each other takes our eyes off the prize. What was done to General Clark last night was a disgrace," Sharpton told about 300 delegates and guests at the Charlotte Hilton & Towers.

"We need to fight (President) Bush. Everything we believe in as a civil rights community is at stake. It's more important than egos."

The S.C. NAACP was meeting in Charlotte because of its ongoing boycott of South Carolina over the flying of the Confederate battle flag at the state Capitol. The efforts by candidates to attend underscored the clout of African Americans in the Democratic Party and the importance of South Carolina's Feb. 3 primary, in which black voters are expected to cast as many as half the votes.

Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut met with delegates earlier in the day, but skipped the forum in order to return to Washington before sundown for the Jewish Sabbath.

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